Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
Neville Scarfe Building (2125 Main Mall), Room 2415
Supervisor: Laurie Ford, Ph.D.
Supervisory Committee: Jim Anderson, Ph.D. (LLED)
Departmental Examiner: Rachel Weber, Ph.D.
Title: Post Migration Experiences of Refugee Children in Canada: Strengths and Resilience
ABSTRACT
Given the history of immigration and refugee resettlement in Canada, its growing population of newcomers, particularly the recent influx of refugees, calls for a need to explore their experiences after migration. Previous research and clinical practice with refugee children and families have been predominantly trauma-based and focused on risk factors and maladaptive aspects of their post-migration lives. While it is important to recognize their unique challenges, this deficit-based model may risk pathologizing the refugee experience itself and disempowering refugee people. The present study uses a strengths-based approach and a qualitative methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand the lived experiences of children who arrived in Canada with refugee status. The purpose of the study was to explore the meaning of strength in their post-migration experiences by asking how they perceive their own assets and skills and how they describe the impact of their families, schools, and communities on their strengths. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four girls between ages 10 and 14 using a narrative, drawing method called the Tree of Life as an elicitation device. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for data analysis. Results revealed ten subthemes as strengths and sources of resilience under three broad themes of Individual Strengths, Family Impact, and School/Community Impact. Child participants discussed their personal qualities, including unique talents, ability to face challenges, strong family bond, openness to diversity, value in their own culture, and desire to help others, as well as support from others in forms of family as role models, parental involvement, social network, and new experiences and opportunities. Findings of this study suggest potential individual, familial, and school/community-related protective factors for refugee children, and significant implications for professionals who work with refugee populations in Canada.